Sant Nivriththinath Maharaj

Pranams at the lotus feet of Nivriththinath Maharaj!

Chapter – 3

Nivriththinath continued to be under the guidance of Gehninath Maharaj, he undertook extreme Tapasya and meditation.  At home, the three children Gnandev, Sopandev, and Muktha found their parents are missing.  Nivriththinath returned home after embracing Sanyasa under the instruction of Gehninath Maharaj.  The children supported each other’s in their difficult times, they go begging for alms but returned home empty-handed, villagers were refused to offer alms saying that ‘Alms are offered to Bhramins and Saints.”  The children were compelled to move out of their village Alandi due to the hatred of the villagers.  They approached the high intellectuals and scholars of the village Paitan, requested a date to perform the sacred thread ceremony, the children came to know about the verdict of death punishment as atonement imposed upon their parents which were utterly unjustifiable.  Gnandev performed the miracle before the villagers of Paitan to prove that the supreme Lord resides as a soul in all the living beings, he recited Sanskrit verse before a buffalo, it repeated the verses, in this way Gandev instructed the people to respect all the living beings on the Earth.

Nivriththinath and his siblings returned to Alandi after several years.  The villagers received the youthful and charming saints with great respect.  Nivriththinath was not only  an elder brother, but he was also a preceptor to his siblings, he advised Gnandev to write the great philosophical work Amruthanubhav, and Gyaneshwari which is the essence of Bhagavad Gita.  The people of Alandi became fervent devotees of the young saints and highly praised their knowledge. During this period, Mahayogi Changdev Maharaj visited Alandi and heard the fame of young Saint Gnandeva.  Changdev Maharaj send a message in a blank paper to Gnandeva to test his wisdom, he worked a spell on the devotees of Gnandeva, but it was removed by his devotion.  Changdev arrived on a leopard to meet Gnandeva to prove his supremacy.  Gnandeva who was sitting on the wall with his sibilings instructed the wall to move and stood before Changdev.  Finally, Changdev  Maharaj realized the divinity of Gnandeva and took shelter at his feet.  At the age of 21, Gnandev Maharaj attained Mahasamadhi in Alandi, Sopandev undertook Samadhi soon after Gnandev.  Nivriththinath Maharaj and Muktha left Alandi for a spiritual tour, during their journey Mukthabai attained the abode of Lord.  Nivriththinath Maharaj proceeded to Nasik, at the age of 24 attained Mahasamadhi in Thryambakeshwar.